Buddhism in Bharat
The first major initiative of 2024-25 that FIHCR is undertaking, in collaboration with Nalanda University, is a research and documentation project on the history of Buddhism in India. This comprehensive account, grounded in an in-depth study of primary sources in Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, Tibetan, and other languages, aims to dispel numerous myths and misunderstandings surrounding this significant subject. With a multidisciplinary approach, the project brings together expertise in history, Buddhist studies, Buddhist philosophy, archaeology, and linguistics. The intended outcomes include a book series on the subject, as well as scholarly articles and journal publications.
The team consists of the following members:
Prof. K. S. Kannan
Former Director of Karnataka Samskrit University, Bangalore and holder of the Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj Chair at IIT-Madras
Prof. K. S. Kannan, D. Litt., is a distinguished Sanskrit scholar who most recently held the prestigious Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj Chair Professorship at IIT-Madras. With over five decades of teaching experience, he has served as the Academic Director of the Swadeshi Indology Conference Series, organized by Infinity Foundation India, and as the Director of Karnataka Samskrit University, Bangalore. Throughout his illustrious career, Prof. Kannan has taught over 10,000 students and has produced approximately 10,000 pages of scholarly writing, all dedicated to enhancing the awareness and understanding of India’s rich intellectual heritage.
Dr. Pranshu Samdarshi
Assistant Professor,
School of Historical Studies &
School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy & Comparative Religions, Nalanda University
Dr. Pranshu Samdarshi is an Assistant Professor at the School of Historical Studies and the School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy & Comparative Religions at Nalanda University. His research specializes in the history and literature of Tantra traditions in Southern Asia and Tibet. He earned his Ph.D. in History from the University of Delhi, where his doctoral thesis explored the dynamic relationship between sacred feminine imagery and Buddhist Tantra practices. He also holds an M.A. and an M.Phil. in Buddhist Studies, along with a Diploma in Pali from the University of Delhi.
Ven. Dr. Pooja Dabral
Assistant Professor,
School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy and Comparative Religion.
School of Languages and Literature/Humanities, Nalanda University
Ven. Dr. Pooja Dabral is an Assistant Professor at the School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy and Comparative Religion, as well as the School of Language, Literature, and Philosophy at Nalanda University. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Delhi for her thesis titled Arya Nagarjuna’s Philosophy of Emptiness and Je Tsongkhapa’s Exposition: Dissent in Two Prolific Periods. Her research focuses on Madhyamaka Philosophy and Buddhist Psychology, and she has published extensively on topics such as Emptiness (Shunyata), Mind and Cognition in Buddhist Psychology, and Form and Substance in Buddhist Philosophy. She has also collaborated on publications with Tibet House, Delhi, including The Blaze of Non-Dual Bodhicitta Buddhist Psychology.
Dr. H.R. Meera
Sanskrit Scholar
The Series Editor is Dr. H.R. Meera, a Sanskrit Scholar and the Senior Editor-in-Charge of Swadeshi Indology Journals. Dr. Vikram Sampath will be assisting her in the task along with project contributors, Dr Jappen Oberoi, Shri Sudhamshu Hattangadi and Shri Nitin Kushalappa.
Dr. Tosabanta Padhan
Archaeologist and Teaching Fellow at Nalanda University.
The project will also benefit from the expertise of Dr. Tosabanta Padhan, an archaeologist and Teaching Fellow at Nalanda University. Dr. Padhan has conducted fieldwork, stone tool analysis, and experimental flintknapping at institutions in India, Europe, and Africa. He has a Ph.D. in Archaeology from Deccan College, Post-Graduate & Research Institute, Pune and holds Master’s degrees from Sambalpur University and the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Portugal. His research interests include Field Archaeology. Prehistoric Archaeology. Experimental Lithic Knapping, Rock Art, Ethnoarchaeology, Early Historic Archaeology. Digital Archaeology, and Remote Sensing application in Archaeology.
FIHCR, represented by Dr. Jappen Oberoi (Head, Research & Projects; Epigraphist & Numismatist) and Sudhamshu Hattangadi (Associate Program Manager: Projects), spent three deeply rewarding and highly productive days (19-23 June, 2025) decoding significant inscriptions and coins as part of FIHCR’s flagship initiative Buddhism in Bharat.
The team contributed to the documentation of rare and exquisite sculptures, coins, and inscriptions housed in the Mathura Museum and the National Museum, New Delhi.
The final day of the research trip was devoted to the decipherment of the Bahapur Ashokan Minor Rock Edict and the Delhi Topra Major Pillar Edict—monumental sources that will provide rich insights for our forthcoming publications on Buddhism.
This important effort will significantly elevate our project on Buddhism in Bharat, enhancing both the scope and depth of the project
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